A review by cheye13
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole

adventurous dark tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? N/A
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I have quite a bit of Alyssa Cole on my TBR because I like romance, but for some reason this was the first I picked up. This was masterfully done – there were moments I felt Sydney's anxieties as if they were my own. The "everyday" anxieties – having a creepy uber driver, a local pub suddenly closed – are woven into the extreme so seamlessly that I bought into every second of the story.

I think this genre in general – the horrors of gentrification, the racism and eviction at play – is a deep well of content, and I haven't seen/heard of many other stories like this. It's a great way to bring attention or a perspective shift to a topic while also providing a good story.

From reviews, and knowing Cole is a romance author, I expected a lot more on the romance front. I didn't exactly like the romance scenes, but it didn't take anything away from the story imo. Theo fell a little flat as a character, but I liked them as a pair, and I was very relieved that Sydney wasn't alone/totally isolated through everything.
Expand filter menu Content Warnings